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As we are getting ready for St. Patrick’s Day parties, festivals and parades you may be looking for some festive recipe ideas? Here’s a recipe I adapted for a cooking class that’s really green, really fun, and really yummy! Just in case you haven’t discovered them….But Oreo Cookies now come in mint …. and as far as cookies go… the famous American Oreo is hard to beat? Now, try combining it with a creamy cheesecake and flavored with creme de menthe? What’s not to like? Wishing everyone a wonderful and very green St. Patrick’s Day week as we are on the countdown to Saturday!

Here is the recipe…

(Serves 6 in mason jars)

(for the base)

18 mint Oreo cookies (crushed)

2 Tbsp of unsalted butter (melted)

(for the mousse)

1 ½ tsp of gelatin (1 Tbsp of cold water/2 Tbsp of boiling water)

1 ½ cups of heavy whipping cream

2 (8oz) packets of cream cheese (room temperature)

2 Tbsp of crème de Menthe (or 1 tsp of mint extract and a few drops of green food coloring)

1 ½ cups of powdered sugar

(to garnish)

½ cup of heavy whipping cream

2 Tbsp of powdered sugar

1 tsp of vanilla

Mint leaves

2 Oreos (crumbled)

How to make it

n a food processor roughly chop 12 of the Oreo’s and stir in the melted butter. Divide the crumble between mason jars and press down with the back of a spoon.

To make the cheesecake mousse beat the cream cheese in an electric mixer until light and fluffy and add 1 ¼ cups of powdered sugar. Add the crème de menthe and beat until it has fully incorporated.

In a separate bowl whip the cream until stiff peaks appear with the remaining ¼ cup of powdered sugar.

Mix the gelatin in 1 Tbsp of cold water and let it sit for a few minutes and then stir until it has completely dissolved in 2 Tbsp of boiling water.

Gradually add the gelatin mixture to the cream cheese mixture, beating until well blended. Fold in the whipped cream and the remaining 6 Oreo cookies (crushed).

Spoon or pipe the resulting cream on top of the Oreo crumble base and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Just before serving whip the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla and pipe a swirl on top of the mint mousse. Garnish with the Oreo crumbles and a sprig of fresh mint.

Shamrock and Peach went crazy green at Crazy Love Coffee House last night in Roswell. The menu theme was all things green (some healthy recipes…. some fun recipes…. but everything that just tastes good in honor of the month of March and all things Irish). We had a full house with smiling faces, great coffee, conversations and Irish food. If you live in the Atlanta area, check out Crazy Love Coffee house and I can guarantee you’ll love it. Here’s the link to check out

I don’t know about y’all but all the winter and holiday eating has caught up with me and it’s time for me to Go Green and eat some healthy and ‘in season’ Kale. I mean, the recipe does call for Apple Wood Smoked Bacon and Crispy Fried Shallots, but it sure beats the heck out of Fries and Butter Burgers? It’s also the month of March where we celebrate our beautiful Emerald Isle and our patron Saint Patrick. So, here’s a healthy Salad with the goal of going green…

…and finally, in keeping with the theme, here’s a verse from one of my favorite artists and songs, written by Johnny Cash and Forty Shades of Green...

“I close my eyes and picture the emerald of the sea

From the fishing boats at Dingle to the shores of Dunardee

I miss the river Shannon and the folks at Skibbereen

The moorlands and the midlands with their forty shades of green”

Hers the recipe…

Kale Salad with a Warm Bacon Dressing and Crispy Fried Shallots

Ingredients:

2 ½ oz (5 cups) Kale (hard stalks removed and hand torn)

(for the dressing)

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

5 slices uncured apple smoked bacon (finely chop)

8 Tbsp (1/2 cup) olive oil

3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)

¼ cup white balsamic vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp sugar

freshly ground black pepper

(for the fried shallots)

2 shallots (finely sliced)

1 Tbsp flour

1 cup vegetable oil

Kosher salt and pepper

How to make it:

Heat oil in skillet and crisp bacon. Remove bacon from the pan and set on plate lined with a paper towel. Drain bacon fat from skillet leaving 1 Tbsp for a little flavor.

Add chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute to soften but not brown. Remove from heat and add vinegar, (being careful as pan may splutter some). Gently shake the saucepan to mix. Use as whisk to mix the mustard, sugar. Add ground black pepper. Finally whisk in the olive oil and gently heat on low.

To make the fried shallots toss in the flour. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan or fryer to 360 degrees F. Add the shallots in small batches so they do not stick together cooking for 10-12 minutes until they are really crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Season the shallots with a little salt and pepper.

To serve toss the kale in the warm vinaigrette with the bacon.

Serve right away and top each salad plate with a small handful of friend shallots and enjoy!

Go Green for St. Patrick’s Day and the month of March is all about celebrating our national holiday by cooking classic Irish heritage dishes. It’s traditionally the busiest month of the year for me with sold out Irish cooking classes, intimate catering events and parties. Over the years I have been traveling to Florida with Kerrygold teaching cooking classes at the Publix Aprons cooking schools. This year I am going to be working in Atlanta teaching a St. Patrick’s dinner class at Wholefoods on March 16 and a luncheon at the Piedmont Cancer Center on March 17th.

If you are hosting a dinner party for St. Patrick’s day you may consider serving this soup as a welcome shooter or as an appetizer for your dinner party. It’s warm and comforting and a true taste of Ireland for our festive month of March…So, go green and enjoy!

So, here it is and “Health to you and yours: to mine and ours”….

Leek and Potato Soup with Chive Puree and Garlic and herb cheese croutons

(serves 4-6)

4 oz salted butter

1 medium onion (diced)

2 large leeks sliced (use mainly the white part)

5 medium potatoes (4 cups potatoes peeled and diced)

2 ½ pints Chicken Stock

1 tsp kosher salt

1/8 freshly ground pepper

2 Tbsp of cream

(for the spring onion puree)

4 spring onions (chopped)

Fine sea salt

4 Tbsp salted Irish butter (melted)

(for the garlic and herb cheese croutons)

3 slices of day old baguettes (cut in to cubes)

4 Tbsp Kerrygold garlic and herb Irish butter

1 oz Dubliner Irish cheese (finely grated)

How to make it:

In a heavy based saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Add the leeks and onions allowing them to “sweat” until they are fragrant.

Add the stock and potatoes and season with salt and pepper.

Stir to combine on medium heat and bring to a boil. Cover and then turn the temperature down allowing the soup to gently simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.

Allow the soup to cool slightly before using an emulsion blender to smooth.

To make the spring onion purees blanch the spring onions in salted boiling water for just less than 1 minute. Strain and place in Ice water. Transfer to a blender to puree. On low heat melt butter and slowly drizzle in to the puree to create froth.

To make the croutons preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Melt the butter and toss in the bread cubes. Bake for 10-15 minutes turning half way or until crunchy and toasted. Sprinkle the cheese over croutons for 1 more minute to melt.

To serve the soup return to heat and bring to a gentle boil. Lower the temperature and finish the soup by adding the cream. Taste to adjust for seasoning. Serve in individual bowls with a drizzle of the frothy spring onion puree and a few garlic and herb cheesy croutons.

Last week I had the honor of being a featured chef at the annual Angels on Earth event to benefit the Thomas F. Chapman Family Cancer Wellness Center. The venue was at the gorgeous Bill Low Gallery in Atlanta with 250 attendees, and yes, yours truly was the Irish chef on hand. What a privilege!

What did I present? Well, The Shamrock and Peach featured Smoked Salmon with Cucumber and Dill and Kale Irish Dip, and I believe it was a hit! So much so that several guests at the event asked me to share the recipe, so being the giving type – here it is in all of it’s glory. A Kale Irish Dip Recipe- sharing the love, and hope you enjoy!

Valentines day is almost here and in the spirit of love and heart shaped romance I wanted to share a perfect dessert for Valentines, along with a few delicious quotes from one of my favorite Irish poets, the one and only Oscar Wilde…

Many of his quotes are profound and I am always saddened that his life journey was so short. So, in honor of a poet I enjoy, here are a few of quotes on love…

“Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead”

“Woman are made to be loved, not understood”

“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance”

Hope you enjoy this special Valentine’s dessert….and remember the best ingredient is always ‘love’.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Raspberries and Chocolate with a Sugar Spun Basket

(makes 6)

(for the buttermilk Panna Cotta)

2 Tbsp water

2 gelatin leaves (3/4 tsp) unflavored gelatin

1 cup of heavy whipping cream

½ vanilla pod (split lengthwise)

1/4 cup sugar

Pinch of fine sea salt

½ cup of buttermilk

(for the sugar spun basket)

1 ½ cups of granulated sugar

(for the garnish)

12 fresh raspberries

4 sprigs of mint

(for the raspberry sauce)

1 cup of raspberries

2 Tbsp of fine granulated sugar

(for the chocolate sauce)

1 cup of chocolate chips

¼ cup of whipping cream

How to make it

Place 2 Tbsp of water in to a small bowl and sprinkle over gelatin. Let it stand for 5 minutes until the gelatin softens.

Scrape the vanilla seeds from the pod and add in to a medium size saucepan with 1/2 cup of the cream, pod, sugar and sea salt. Bring to a low boil and stir constantly for 3-5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat and stir in the gelatin mixture.

Strain the cream mixture through a sieve and add the buttermilk and remaining cream.

Divide in to molds and chill for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator.

To make the sugar spun baskets melt the sugar in a small skillet and boil until it is a light caramel color. Remove from the heat and place the pan in a basin of cold water to stop the cooking process. Using the back of a spoon, drizzle the caramel in a think steady stream weaving back and forth to create a weave design. Gently remove the basket and place on a sheet of parchment paper.

To make the sauces puree the raspberries and sugar together and strain to remove the seeds. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler with the cream and stir to melt. Transfer to squeeze bottles.

To serve remove the panna cotta from the mold and place in the center of the plate. Place three raspberries on the side of the panna cotta and a sprig of mint. Using a squeeze bottle pour three circles of raspberry sauce and a swirl of chocolate sauce. To serve gently place the sugar spun basket on top.

Just this past weekend I teamed up with Shamrock and Peach photography (my husband Gary) to teach a class on Food Photography at Whole foods Salud cooking school in Alpharetta. Gary is an artist and designer for his day job and a skilled photographer with a passion for creating beautiful imagery that explores the world around us and the Irish landscape. We got to work together combing food with photography when we wrote our first book together ‘the Shamrock and Peach”. We are always learning and exploring and we love to share with others. I heard a quote recently that said “we only own what we give away” so I wanted to share some of the images from our food styling class. Valentine’s day is coming up soon so I am going to share the recipe for the Raspberry and Chocolate Panna Cotta next!

Oh, and here is Gary’s website if you want to check out his work http://www.shamrockandpeachphoto.com/

Eating fish on a Friday was a tradition in our Irish home. The local markets and fishmongers always stock the freshest fish and best variety at the start of each weekend in Ireland, as a child I even remember a fish man calling at our house early in the morning selling smoked haddock and a variety of other locally caught fish- so fresh! My own small town still sets up fish stalls in the market center every Friday and it was always so interesting to see the catch of the day packed in ice!

Eating fish on Fridays also has a religious connection because Friday was seen as day of fasting when red meat would not be eaten, so, for some it’s religious but for other it’s the best day to find the freshest catch and enjoy seafood at home with your family…

Local Irish catch of the day

St. Georges Market

Irish Shellfish

My mother used to make a fish pie every Friday with the delicious smoked haddock and shellfish with a creamy potato topping. On cold winter nights it was so comforting and I remember the smell of the melting Irish cheddar cheese and knowing it was almost time to serve our weekly family favorite. If you are not able to purchase smoked haddock use the freshest flaky white fish you can find and I promise you will not be disappointed.

Happy Friday Cozy Bakes!

Smoked Haddock and Shrimp Bake

(for the seafood)

1 ½ cups of milk

1 ½ cups cold water

1 small bay leaf

6 peppercorns

1 small onion (peeled and sliced)

1 1/2 lbs smoked haddock (skinless and boneless)

8 oz raw prawns (peeled)

(for the parsley sauce)

3 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp of all purpose flour

1tsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp parsley (chopped)

(for the potato)

1lb of potatoes (peeled and cut)

4 Tbsp of butter

¼ cup of warm milk

(for the topping)

¼ cup breadcrumbs

½ cup Dubliner Irish cheese (grated)

How to make it

Place the haddock and prawns in a pan with the milk, water, bay leaf, peppercorn and onion. Season with salt and pepper and slowly poach for 8-10 minutes (reserve 2 cups of stock).

While the fish is poaching prepare potato topping by boiling the potatoes in a pot of cold salted water for 20 minutes.

To make the sauce melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the flour cooking for one minute and then whisk in 2 cups of reserved stock and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Stir in the parsley and season with a little salt and pepper.

Drain the potatoes over a dry heat to remove any moisture for a few minutes. Mash the potatoes with the warm milk and butter. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the Dubliner Irish cheese.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

To assemble pour the parsley sauce over the seafood and spoon the potato and sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and cheese topping. Bake for 20 minutes and serve right away.

It has been said that we eat with our eyes first and with a world of social media, blogs and iphones we all get to share the magic instantly! Here are a few images of food photography taken by Gary recently that made my food look mouthwatering. Only a true artist can see behind the lens and it takes patience, talent and passion. Here are few that he has taken recently that I really love!

Steak and Guinness Pie

Peach and Irish Cream Macarrons

Barnbrack

Bacon and Cabbage

Over 10 years ago when I started my blog there was a need for some great photography and my husband who is a graphic artist rose to the occasion. At the time I am not sure he knew what we was getting himself into, but since then we have published two additions of our first cook book called the Shamrock and Peach filled with beautiful images of Ireland in addition to food photography and now we’re finishing up our second cook book.

Mastering the art of good food photography is not easy and then there are styles and trends and multiple digital features on our cameras to contend with. Gary is excited to share the knowledge of the tricks he has learned behind the lens at Wholefoods Salud cooking school in Atlanta on Saturday Feb 3rd between 10-1pm. We have a really interesting and delicious Shamrock and Peach menu for you to enjoy as you shoot, eat and most importantly laugh and enjoy some Irish craic.

We’d really love to see you at the class if you live in the Atlanta area and for everyone else thanks for following our blog! Maybe well share some tips from the class in future posts! Here is the link for our Atlanta friends to sign up:

Happy New Year 2018! Wishing all my friends and followers good health and Prosperity with Irish Savoy Cabbage Greens and Bacon…a true Irish favorite!

In the South it’s a tradition to enjoy collard greens as part of a New Years tradition (cooked in a smoked ham hock bone and served with black eyed peas and cornbread). The greens are symbolic of paper money and bring good luck and wealth for the upcoming year, whilst the black eyed peas represent the coins… so now you know!

So we wanted to share a new year suggestion for you with some Irish style crispy cabbage and wishing you a year like no other!

Bacon with Crispy Cabbage and Mustard Sauce

3 lbs cured loin of bacon

2 bay leaves

1 tsp peppercorns

1 stick of celery (chopped)

1 large onion (cut in quarters)

1 carrot (chopped)

(for the cabbage)

1 large green savoy cabbage (hard core removed and thinly sliced)

3 Tbsp of butter

2 Tbsp water

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

(for the mustard sauce)

3 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp all purpose flour

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

½ cup reserved cooking liquid

1 Tbsp whole grain mustard

How to make it

Put the bacon in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, celery, and carrot. Bring to the boil and then cover with a lid and reduce the heat to a low simmer for 20 minutes per pound plus an additional 30 minutes.

Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside. Reserve ½ cup of cooking liquid for the sauce.

To make the mustard sauce melt the butter and add the flour cooking for a minute and then whisk in the reserved cooking liquid, heavy whipping cream, mustard and salt and pepper.

To make the cabbage melt the butter in a large skillet and then add the cabbage tossing with tongs until it’s bright and fragrant. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp of water over the cabbage to wilt slightly but still remaining crispy and bright.

To serve slice the bacon and drizzle with a little mustard sauce and top with crispy cabbage.